JP2735704B2 - Slot machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a slot machine having a re-game function that enables a game to be executed without performing an investment value input operation (for example, a coin insertion operation) prior to the start of the game. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Sho 63-5778 discloses that when a specific symbol appears in a display window as a result of inserting a coin and playing a game, the next game is played without inserting a coin. A disclosed slot machine is disclosed. Adding such a re-game function is equivalent to setting a rank equivalent to a draw in addition to winning and losing in slot machine games, which is effective in giving slot machines not only gambling but also gaming. is there.

[0003]

However, in the case of a slot machine having a conventional re-game function, including the slot machine described in the above publication, a re-game can be executed without inserting coins. The game is limited to the game immediately after the right to execute is acquired, that is, immediately after the specific symbol indicating that the game can be executed again is displayed on the display window. In slot machines, loss often occurs stochastically, so "insert coin" → "operate start lever" → "confirm symbol" → "insert coin" → ...
That flow has been established as a normal game flow,
Considering that the player repeats the game one after another according to this flow, it is forcibly forced to play the game without inserting coins immediately after acquiring the right to re-game, Means to interrupt the normal game flow. Therefore, for a player who operates the slot machine in accordance with the flow of a normal game and attaches importance to the flow, sometimes forced re-games make the operation cumbersome.

[0004] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and there is provided a slot machine capable of replaying a game at any time without interrupting the flow of a normal game. The purpose is to provide.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a slot machine having a re-game credit function so that a player can play a re-game at any desired time. . Therefore, the slot machine of the present invention performs a game, and when a re-game signal enabling a re-game is obtained, the re-game signal is sequentially counted by the counting means and the count value is displayed by the display means. Each time the game is displayed and the game is re-executed, control means for subtracting the count value of the counting means and generating a start permission signal is provided.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1 showing the appearance of a slot machine to which the present invention is applied, a front panel 3 is pivotally mounted on a main body 2 of the slot machine so as to be openable and closable. ing. Through the reel display window 4, the symbols of the first to third reels 5 to 7 in the main body 2 can be observed. The front panel 3 has a coin slot 8
Is provided. This coin insertion slot 8 is used when the player inserts the coins at hand in the range of 1 to 3 coins prior to the start of the game, and as is well known, determines the winning according to the number of coins inserted. The number of activated pay lines is determined. In addition to the well-known coin sorter, a coin counter for counting the number of coins inserted when proper coins are inserted is provided behind the coin insertion slot 8. In the normal game process, the operation of the start lever 10 is activated after a coin is inserted, and the reels 5 to 7 rotate simultaneously by the operation. Stop buttons 11 to 13 are provided for each of the reels 5 to 7.
These can be individually stopped by pressing the stop buttons 11 to 13 while rotating.

In FIG. 1, the first reel 5 is stopped with the “*” symbol displayed on the display window 4. In this way, when the “☆” symbol is displayed on the display window 4 by any of the reels at the time when the game is over, the service wins, and all the winning lines are activated without inserting coins. Thus, one re-game can be performed. The re-game obtained by winning the service can be executed at any time. And
If a service prize is further obtained when the right to re-game is not exercised, the number of times is accumulated and displayed on the credit number display 15. When executing a re-game, a re-game button 16 is used instead of inserting coins.
After pressing, the start lever 10 may be operated.

In FIG. 2 showing the functional blocks of the slot machine, a coin sensor 20 detects coins inserted from the coin insertion slot 8 one by one. This detection signal is counted by the coin counter 21, and the number of the winning lines referred to at the time of winning determination is determined according to the counted value. The coin sensor 20 detects the insertion of a coin and supplies a start permission signal to the start control unit 22. After receiving the start permission signal from the coin sensor 20, the start control unit 22 outputs a start signal when the start lever 10 is operated. This start signal is input to the reel control unit 24 and the random number sampling unit 25. Upon receiving the start signal, the reel control unit 24 simultaneously drives the stepping motors provided for each of the reels, whereby the first to third reels 5 to 7 simultaneously start rotating. The random number sampling unit 25 samples one random number from a random number sequence within a predetermined range in response to the input of the start signal, and inputs the value to the winning determination unit 26.

The prize judging section 26 includes a random number sampling section 2
Based on the random number input from step 5, the type of winning (including loss and service winning) for the executed game is determined. Therefore, the winning probability table 27 stores data obtained by grouping all random numbers that can be sampled by the random number sampling unit 25 into large winnings, medium winnings, small winnings, service winnings, and losing for each value. Then, the winning determination unit 26 refers to the winning probability table 27 and determines to which winning group the value of the random number sampled by the random number sampling unit 25 belongs.
Data indicating the type of winning determined in this way is input to the reel control unit 24.

When the stop buttons 11 to 13 are operated, a stop signal is supplied from the stop signal generator 28 to the reel controller 24, and the reel stop control is started. The reel stop control is performed so that a combination of symbols that satisfies the type of winning determined by the winning determining unit 26 appears on the winning line. When the reels 5 to 7 stop, the winning determination unit 26 refers to the data from the reel control unit 24 and checks the combination of the symbols. As a result of the confirmation, when a large winning, a middle winning, and a small winning are obtained, a winning signal representing the type of the winning is input to the hopper control unit 29. The hopper control unit 29 controls the driving of the hopper device 31 so as to pay out a specified number of payout coins with reference to the payout payout table 30 in which the number of payout coins is associated with each of the types of wins.

As a result of the winning confirmation, if a service winning has been obtained, the winning determining section 26 generates a re-game signal and inputs the signal to the credit control section 32. Each time the re-game signal is supplied, the credit control unit 32 adds the number to the credit counter 33. The count value of the credit counter 33 is displayed on the credit number display 15.
Is digitally displayed as shown in FIG. The re-game signal generator 34 inputs a re-game start signal to the credit controller 32 when the re-game button 16 is operated, whereby the credit controller 32 gives the start controller 22 a start permission signal. Of course, when the credit counter 33 is “0”, the operation of the re-game button is invalidated.

FIG. 3 shows the operation of the above slot machine.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When playing a game according to a normal flow, a coin is inserted from the coin insertion slot 8 and the start lever 10 is operated. As a result, the reels 5 to 7 rotate and the stop buttons 11 to 11
By operating the reel 13, the stop control of the reels 5 to 7 is performed. When the reels 5 to 7 are stopped, if a prize has been obtained, the hopper device 31 incorporated in the main body 2 is operated to pay out a payout coin of a number corresponding to the prize to the receiving tray, and one time The game ends. In the case of a loss, the game ends when the reels 5 to 7 stop.

When a service prize is generated during the execution of the normal game, a re-game signal from the prize determination unit 26 is input to the credit control unit 32, and the number of the re-game signal is counted by the credit counter 33 one by one. You. When the count value of the credit counter 33 is “1” or more, the game can be executed by pressing the re-game button 16 without inserting coins by the count value. The time when the game is started by pressing the re-game button 16 is not necessarily limited to the game immediately after the service prize is obtained, but may be any time as long as the count value of the credit counter 33 is “1” or more. Therefore, the game is played one after another using the coins on hand, and during that time, if the right to re-game by service prize is obtained, this is credited, and after consuming the coins on hand, the game is played again collectively. You can also play games. When the game is played by pressing the re-game button 16, when the start lever 10 is operated, the count value of the credit counter 33 is decremented by "1". Then, when the count value of the credit counter 33 becomes “0”, it is necessary to insert a coin to start the game.

The above embodiment is an example in which the present invention is applied to a normal slot machine in which the input of an investment value per game is performed by inserting coins, but the present invention employs a credit card instead of inserting coins. It is equally applicable to slot machines that can use. In slot machines that accept credit cards, investment value is determined for each game from the on-value data magnetically or electronically written on the credit card and entered into the slot machine, and a prize is obtained. For example, the dividend value is added to the value on hand and recorded, and in the case of a loss, the investment value is subtracted from the value on hand. Even in such a slot machine, it is necessary to operate a button for inputting an investment value prior to the start of one game. Therefore, as long as the credit card still has a hand-held value, "button operation" → "start lever" Operation ”→“ Symbol check ”→
The game may be repeated in a certain flow of “button operation” →..., And once the credit card has no value, the rights to the re-game obtained up to that time may be collectively exercised.

The present invention has been described above with reference to the illustrated embodiment. However, when a "*" symbol appears on any of the reels, a service prize may be obtained, for example, in the first case.
The combination of the symbols on the third reels 5 to 7 is "7-7
The combination of the symbols can be set as appropriate, such as a service prize when "-BAR" is reached. In addition, even if a re-game reset button is added to the above-mentioned slot machine and the re-game button 16 is pressed, a normal game in which coins are inserted by pressing the re-game reset button if the start lever 10 is not operated yet. It can also be returned to. Furthermore, the same value as the insertion of one coin is given to the count value “1” of the credit counter 33 in a pseudo manner, and the re-game button 1
Each time 6 is pressed, the number of activated pay lines may be increased, or the number of coins corresponding to the credit count value at that time may be refunded by resetting the credit counter 33. In addition, the present invention can be applied to a video type slot machine for displaying symbols on a CRT in the same manner.

[0016]

As described above, in the slot machine of the present invention, the right of the re-game which can execute the game without performing the input operation of the investment value per game prior to the start of the game is credited. In addition, since the player can play the game again at any time, for example, until the coins on hand are consumed,
It is also possible to repeat the game in sequence according to the flow of a normal game in which coins are inserted, and thereafter to execute the credited re-games collectively.
Therefore, even for a player who is particularly familiar with the flow of a normal game, it is possible to execute a re-game without giving any trouble in terms of operability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a slot machine of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the slot machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process by the slot machine of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 display window 5-7 reel 10 start lever 15 credit number display 16 re-game button 32 credit control unit 33 credit counter

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A start control means for receiving a start permission signal generated by inputting an investment value per game, and further starting to move and display a symbol array in response to an input of a start operation signal. When a specific symbol appears in the symbol display window when the movement of the symbol row is stopped or when a specific combination of symbols occurs, a re-game signal is generated, and the start permission signal is obtained based on the re-game signal to obtain an investment value. In a slot machine in which a game can be executed without input of a game signal, a counting means for counting the number of the re-game signals, a display means for displaying a count value of the counting means, and a re-game signal by the counting means. In response to the operation of starting the re-game in the counted state, the counting A slot machine provided with control means for subtracting the count value of the stage and generating the start permission signal. (2) To the count value "1" of the counting means
In contrast, the minimum number of coins required to start one game is 1
When the investment value is given and the count value is 2 or more
In the re-game, the player throws more than two coins
Be able to enter game value and start the game
The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein